Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	$ 0	$ (163)	$ (83)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	(163)	(83)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	154	185	153
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	(9)	(7)
Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs	25	23	22
Unrealized losses from pension liability	(5)	33	(13)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(9)	(17)	(6)
Share-based Compensation	4	3	3
Defined Benefit Plan, Recognized Net Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailments	0	0	(3)
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), Unrealized	(6)	(3)	(10)
Asset Impairment Charges	14	20	10
Adjustments, Noncash Items, to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	0	(1)	(2)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(30)	11	17
Inventories	(36)	(12)	2
Trade payables	41	8	11
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Taxes Payable	1	7	(2)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	8	(15)	18
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities and Other Operating Liabilities	(39)	72	18
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(170)	(117)	(115)
Purchases of intangible assets	(2)	(2)	(3)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	1	1	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(9)	0	0
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	9
Net cash used in investing activities	(168)	(117)	(116)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	1	0	1
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0	(16)	(10)
Proceeds from Other Equity	0	0	1
Payments of Financing Costs	(1)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(1)	(16)	(10)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	9	2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	228
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	174	228
Interest Paid	57	56	57
Income Taxes Paid	24	27	21
Cash	173	224	217
Capital expenditures included in accounts payable	23	25	17
Capital Reimbursed from Insurance Proceeds	9	0	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock			0
Gain on Insurance Proceeds Received for Capital	(9)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	3	0	0
MPM Inc [Member]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	1	(161)	(82)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1	(161)	(82)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	154	185	153
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	(9)	(7)
Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs	25	23	22
Unrealized losses from pension liability	(5)	33	(13)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(9)	(17)	(6)
Share-based Compensation	3	3	3
Defined Benefit Plan, Recognized Net Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailments	0	0	(3)
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), Unrealized	(6)	(3)	(10)
Asset Impairment Charges	14	20	10
Adjustments, Noncash Items, to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	0	(1)	(2)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(30)	11	17
Inventories	(36)	(12)	2
Trade payables	41	8	11
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Taxes Payable	1	7	(2)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	8	(15)	18
Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities and Other Operating Liabilities	(37)	72	18
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(170)	(117)	(115)
Purchases of intangible assets	(2)	(2)	(3)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	9	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(169)	(118)	(116)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	1	0	1
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0	(16)	(10)
Payments of Financing Costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(2)	(17)	(11)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	9	2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	228
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	174	228
Interest Paid	57	56	57
Income Taxes Paid	24	27	21
Cash	173	224	217
Capital expenditures included in accounts payable	23	25	17
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends	(1)
Return of capital	0	0	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Common Stock	1	1
Gain on Insurance Proceeds Received for Capital		0
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	(3)	0	0
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1	(161)	(82)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(9)	(7)
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Purchases of intangible assets	0	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	0	3	1
Repayments of Long-term Debt		(16)
Payments of Financing Costs	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(43)	(81)	12
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(25)	(18)	(21)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	39
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	14	39
Cash	14	39	57
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	(42)	(61)	23
Intercompany dividends	(1)
Return of capital	0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	129	(55)	6
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0	0
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(98)	(61)	(61)
Purchases of intangible assets	1	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	9
Net cash used in investing activities	(87)	(61)	(61)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	1	(3)	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Payments of Financing Costs	35	28
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(115)	(23)	(127)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(31)	28	30
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	188
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	159	188
Cash	158	184	158
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	(26)	62	(72)
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	(53)	(60)	(48)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	3
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	74	(105)	(14)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0	0
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(72)	(56)	(54)
Purchases of intangible assets	(1)	(2)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	9
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(29)	3	(7)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Payments of Financing Costs	26	64
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	42	(65)	(52)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	(1)	(7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	1
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1	1
Cash	1	1	2
Proceeds from return of capital	53	60	48
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	68	(1)	49
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(203)	160	8
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0	0
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Purchases of intangible assets	0	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0
Payments to Acquire Interest in Subsidiaries and Affiliates	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(53)	(60)	(48)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Payments of Financing Costs	(61)	(92)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	114	152	156
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Cash	0	0	0
Proceeds from return of capital	(53)	(60)	(48)
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	53	$ 60	$ 48
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	$ 0